Pick Only One: Heavy Metal Vocal Styles

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Pick Only One

1) Castrato Rob Halford-esque Shriek!
2) Smarmy Diamond Dave Solo Record Lounge Singing!
3) Mock-Operatic Bruce Dickenson-esque Yodelling!
4) Grumbling Nu-Metal Cookie Monster Growls!
5) Stentorian Voice-o-Satan Chanting!

and give us and example of it being done < DICKINSON>ri-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yight!< /DICKINSON>

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Sunday, 9 November 2003 21:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Black metal shrieks of unholy terror, I'm afraid. Though, actually I prefer metal vocalists that sing really well (In the Woods or 3rd and the Mortal for example) in a traditionally non-metallic style.

of those offered, I'd say chanting.

James

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Sunday, 9 November 2003 22:15 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll take...

(6) Lemmy.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 9 November 2003 22:32 (twenty-two years ago)

(6)(a) Cronos.

― your null fame (yournullfame), Sunday, 9 November 2003 22:56 (twenty-two years ago)

i rate the ozzy/robert plant school of testicles-in-viceness

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 9 November 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

(4) -- b/c that style originated with grindcore and death-metal, not nu-metal chuckleheads.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 9 November 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

My choice would be 6. Dave Lee Roth, with 7. Ozzie Osbourne a good runnerup. Neither fits into any heavy metal vocals stereotype.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 November 2003 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

NONE of those is my favorite! Those are all the kinds I DON'T like!!

― chuck, Sunday, 9 November 2003 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

(4) -- b/c that style originated with grindcore and death-metal, not nu-metal chuckleheads.
Actually it originated with Cookie Monster himself singing "C is for Cookie".
Everyone else is a shallow impersonation.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Sunday, 9 November 2003 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Whatever it is that Bon Scott does.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 9 November 2003 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)

The David Byron silly laugh style. Ex.: Uriah Heep Live
'73

The Leslie West blues shouter style.

The Dan McAfferty nasal howl. See: Axl Rose.

The leather-lunged nasal howl. See: Noddy Holder.

The decrepit black man mumble or homeless man's Howling
Wolf-style. See: Billy Gibbons, Cub Koda.

The Elvis on sulfate. See: Dusty Hill, Lonesome Dave.

The homeless man's Robert Plant. See: Jack Russell,
the dude in Kingdom Come, the dude in the Want.

The the commanding byt tuneless shouter of nonsense. See: Iggy Pop.

The surprised and gasping for air style. See: everyone in
Sweet.

The commanding but indeterminate man of action style.
Whoever's in JagPanzer.

The laconic drawling weedy but cool man. See: Bon Scott.

The drawling weedy but uncool man. See: The guy in
Supagroup, the guy in Rhino Bucket, the guy in The Hangmen.

The everyman style. See: Eric "Can you get me one of those Star Trek dolls" Bloom, Buck Dharma.

The good joke who became a sub-mediocre chanter.
See: Dick Manitoba.

The meathead with a good traditional singing voice. Sammy Hagar.

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 00:13 (twenty-two years ago)

NONE of those is my favorite! Those are all the kinds I DON'T like!!

Chuck, I think the thing is this: you actually HATE heavy metal, now that you really think of it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 10 November 2003 00:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The greatest metal chanter of all time was a guy named Tony
in a band called Vicious Barreka from Bethlehem, PA. The
album was called Heavenly Metal and it got a fine
review in Kerrang so you know it had to be
great.

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 00:51 (twenty-two years ago)

You're all wrong - the best vocal style is whatever style Paul DiAnno had back on the first 2 IM albums. Druncken brawler-punk?

― Davlo (Davlo), Monday, 10 November 2003 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Luca Turilli.

― Spinktor the Unmerciful (mawill5), Monday, 10 November 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I like John from Nuclear Assault's "holy shit!! why didn't you guys tell me we were recording our album in hell?" style.

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I like the shredded-throat-that-actually-manages-to-convey-melodies style like Sentenced circa Amok, Paradise Lost circa Icon/Draconian Times, and Dan Swano on his best day.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I like:

Monk-style chanting
Death/Black metal style monster-growls/shrieks
Power Metal clean singing
Type O/David Bowie deep voice singing

I don't like:
Geeky D&D goth style (as witnessed on Arcturus's La Masquerade Infernale)
OTT opera shite that takes itself really seriously (In The Woods et al).

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 10 November 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

lemmy for me as well

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 10 November 2003 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I like the shredded-throat-that-actually-manages-to-convey-melodies style

i'm a sucker for Jeff Walker's vocals on "Heartwork".

― tod (tod), Monday, 10 November 2003 16:21 (twenty-two years ago)

>>Chuck, I think the thing is this: you actually HATE heavy metal, now that you really think of it.<<

No, I love heavy metal. I just hate SHITTY heavy metal, especially shitty heavy metal that thinks it can impress me just by being gratuitously ugly. Several of the vocals styles George Smith mentioned strike me as quite attractive. Bottom line is, the list that started the thread was rigged. Maybe on purpose; I'm not sure.

― chuck, Monday, 10 November 2003 18:19 (twenty-two years ago)

And I'm a fan of "monk-style chanting" as well, as often as not.

― chuck, Monday, 10 November 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Bottom line is, the list that started the thread was rigged. Maybe on purpose; I'm not sure.
Sarcastic answer: Not rigged, merely boobytrapped.
Real Answer: Those were the only Metal vocal styles I could think of on such short notice. All the other that popped into my mind were merely subsets of the above...or vocal styles not sufficiently "Metal" enough to qualify.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Monday, 10 November 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

>>or vocal styles not sufficiently "Metal" enough to qualify.<<

But you listed this!!:
>>Smarmy Diamond Dave Solo Record Lounge Singing!<<

Certainly if lounge singing is "metal enough," then what Dan McCafferty or Leslie West or Bon or Iggy or Noddy does is too, right?

― chuck, Monday, 10 November 2003 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan McCafferty (can't answer, refesh my memory.)
Leslie West (can't answer, refresh my memory.)
Bon (Scott) == Castrato Shrieking
Iggy (Pop) == During Stooges: He wan't "metal", he was proto-punk. Post Stooges: Mostly 5 (Bowie Influence) with some 2
Noddy (can't answer, refresh my memory.)

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Monday, 10 November 2003 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

My favorites:

Homeless guy screaming at you on the bus (Obituary's John Tardy)

Really pissed-off computer (the guy from Anaal Nathrakh) (their album The Codex Necro also features some monk chanting, but it's way in the back and they sound like they're chanting through a subway PA horn)

And, of course, the aforementioned Lemmy.

― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Monday, 10 November 2003 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

okay...
6) Homeless guy screaming at you on the bus (Obituary's John Tardy)
7) Really pissed-off computer (the guy from Anaal Nathrakh)
< /SERVIVE PATCH>

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Monday, 10 November 2003 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

LCO: George Smith already refreshed your memory re: West (of Mountain)/McCafferty (of Nazareth)/Holder (of Slade) (see above). And somehow, I doubt anybody called Iggy "proto-punk" circa 1969-1973.

But do you really think Bon Scott sings like Rob Halford??? Wow...

― chuck, Monday, 10 November 2003 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Chuck, tell us your favorite metal singers -- this metaphorical stuff is nice and all, but some of us (me) need names to go along with em.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Monday, 10 November 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

It's all in my book, Jeanne!:) (Well, a lot of it is.)

You could do worse than start with Jennie Haan of Babe Ruth, though.

― chuck, Monday, 10 November 2003 19:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Dan McCafferty (can't answer, refesh my memory.

Teenage Nervous Breakdown

Leslie West (can't answer, refresh my memory.)

Mississippi Queen Alt: performance of Boom Boom

Noddy (can't answer, refresh my memory.)

Get Down and Get With It or Move Over or ...

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Sebastian Bach

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 10 November 2003 20:03 (twenty-two years ago)

The oft better than Ozzy Ozzy-clone:

The guy in Sheavy (Ultraglide), Zeeb -- Witchfinder General's Death Penalty, the guy in Count Raven,
occasionally.

The man imitating a mentally ill eastern shore Virginia preacher: Bobby Liebling, Pentagram, Review Your Choices, Sub-Basement, others.

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

The smart man mimicking a teenage chowderhead: Paul Stanley.

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 10 November 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Will do on the Babe Ruth tip, Sir Eddy.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Monday, 10 November 2003 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Jeanne -- You should also check out Fabienne Shine, of Shakin Street, if you have ever have the chance. (I forget who 1994's singer was, but she had some pretty awesome moments too, if I remember right.)

― chuck, Monday, 10 November 2003 20:21 (twenty-two years ago)

The shriek -ala Sebaceous Back, Assl Rose, etc. is by far the worst.. Although When Rob Halford or even Klaus Meine do it - it's cool.

Iggy Pop (yes he is too metal - like "Instinct") - is the best - Combination of singing and screaming without going falsetto.

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 10 November 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

You're all wrong - the best vocal style is whatever style Paul DiAnno had back on the first 2 IM albums. Druncken brawler-punk?

For what it's worth, I think Davlo is on the fucking money here, though I can't join the still-singing chorus of haterz who think IM went to shit after Dickinson joined - Dickenson's vocals on his solo number "The Tower" are the template of pop-metal, as far as I'm concerned.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Monday, 10 November 2003 20:44 (twenty-two years ago)

forget who 1994's singer was, but she had some pretty awesome moments too, if I remember right

Karen Lawrence. Been in a blues band for a long time. In the same vein was Marge Raymond of Flame.

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 20:44 (twenty-two years ago)

The hippie dolt slumming almost successfully as a heavy
rocker: anyone in the Pink Fairies -- "Do It," "The Snake,"
"Walk Don't Run."

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)

The Brit trying to imitate an American redneck badly:
The guy in Ten Benson.

― George Smith, Monday, 10 November 2003 20:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The drunken viking singalong: Storm, Isengard, Otyg, Vintersorg
The tortured seagull: Burzum
The "i can't believe it's human" low pitched droning gurgle: Disembowelment

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

The "Are you sure that's not just bass-amp feedback?": Mortician

― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 00:51 (twenty-two years ago)

The "12 year-old kid who tortures animals and enjoys it" laugh- Megadeth, Overkill

― Cacaman Flores, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 01:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Bon (Scott) == Castrato Shrieking

this is the most offensive thing I've ever read. WHAT I WANT I STASH WHAT I DON'T I SMASH...AND YER ON MY LIST!!!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 01:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Black metal shrieks of unholy terror, I'm afraid. Though, actually I prefer metal vocalists that sing really well (In the Woods or 3rd and the Mortal for example) in a traditionally non-metallic style.
of those offered, I'd say chanting.
James

-- James Slone (freontrotsk...), November 9th, 2003.

Pretty much what James said.

― Agent Uranium [GPC], Tuesday, 11 November 2003 01:29 (twenty-two years ago)

The opera-singer-on-the-loose: e.g. Messiah of Candlemass
The nasal growl: e.g. Bart Smits (who sang on The Gathering's "Always")
The metalized Bob Dylan-uh!: e.g. Tom G. Warrior

― tod (tod), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 01:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Nobondy mentioned the German bark mode, as in Rammstein, Oomph!, etc.

― Ian Grey (Ian_G), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

drunken viking singalong

Ha-ha! Excellent. Categorize Finntroll --
the vocalist only someone mentally ill and in the employ
of Century Media could like.

This in no way utterly condemns Century Media.

― George Smith, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 04:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Sebastian Bach

Jel OTM. No one screams better! And his growl keeps up pretty well, too!

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 04:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"12 year-old kid who tortures animals and enjoys it"

Great! That's Mustaine and Verni. Now we need the eternal 25 year-old male loser with a grudge coupled with a love of arson.

California bands: Anthony Kiedis if the Chili Peppers had never
broke big. Female iteration: Inger Lorre. Others: RIP magazine 80's cannon fodder. Keith Morris -- Circle Jerks.

― George Smith, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 05:22 (twenty-two years ago)

The smart man with a wonderful and dramatic conversational voice masquerading as a 25-year-old who enjoyed torturing small animals and setting fires.

Alice Cooper -- when it counted.

― George Smith, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 05:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Axl Rose

― Gordie Statham, Saturday, 15 November 2003 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Napalm Death growls rule!!!

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 05:09 (twenty-two years ago)

five months pass...

The greatest screamer has to be Tobais Sammett (EDGUY).
Well he's my fave.

― Scott Seals, Friday, 23 April 2004 07:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Nobody mentioned King Diamond?!? He's like, the apotheosis of the Rob Halford thing.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Friday, 23 April 2004 08:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the contrast of clean, smooth vocals over vicious music.
I guess that's not the way they like to do it, though.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

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